"The Sleeping Dragon once rose up and ascended into Heaven.It was he who Transmitted this Jellyfish Method." Zhang Sanfeng (song dynasty,1200 CE)http://www.factshunt.com/2013/05/turritopsis-nutricula-immortal-jellyfish_19.html
'Turritopsis nutricula' a.k.a the immortal jellyfish has the ability to live forever by transforming or reverting to its primordial birth-stage after maturity.This is interesting to me as a Sinister Magician and a Taoist for I believe that both the goals of Taoism and the LHP are the same.You just can't get around the subject of Immortality in Daoism and if you put a group of adversarial Art workers in the same room for any length of time,someone is going to bring up Godhood.Traditionally and in their Hindu usage the Right Hand Path and Left Hand Path have precisely the same goal: union with divinity.The difference is the polar opposite approaches, denial vs transgression. For a short history of the terms here is a link to the wiki page.Stephen Flowers,in his book Lords of the Left Hand Path may have put it best on how the West views the Sinister way.."There are two criteria for the Left Hand Path,Deification of the self and Antinomianism.When you talk about it from a Daoist point of view,the RHP idea of becoming one with god is thrown out the window and then stood on it's head because the only goal of Daoism is the actual attainment of Immortality.Most,if not all of the Gods,spiritual beings and Immortals in the Daoist canon were once mortal.Each Immortal was just an average Joe or Jane till they learned Self-cultivation and spiritual powers. How,you may ask?.By eating Herbs and Plants at the right times and places,using metal and mineral to make a pill,Internal alchemy or a visit from a God, Goddess or Immortal, who decide to give the lucky sucker Immortality for some great task he or she preformed.The Sinister Path has yet to find it's sea legs when it comes to an agreement on how to go about Godhood,and what to do with it once you've obtained it.But the oldest system on the subject known to man,Daoism,has had it down cold for thousands of years.They break it down in to three types....
Earthly Immortals=these guys and gals live life to the hilt,look young till they kick the bucket and at the end of their lifespan,around 100 years or so,will choose when they want to push up the daisies and do so in peace.Most go to a mountain,put wax in their nose and ears,and watch the Dao do it's thing...but some stay in town and teach or take care of their families.
Corpse-Freed Immortals=Sometimes those Earth bound Immortals in the mountains figure out how to walk away from their bodies after death and no longer have to be reborn,by finding the trick of it from long meditation, and said wax plugs,they can go to any plane of existence they fancy.
Heavenly Immortals=This is the Brass Ring,the full Monty,the best of the brightest.Often it is said they mount up on a Crane or Dragon and rise to the big blue ( or Jade) castle in the sky,staying young and powerful forever more.Heavenly Immortal are usually minted into gods at some time and given a Portfolio to watch over (the God of Luck,Prostitutes,String Cheese...you name it)
But how do I become one,you may ask, with your Inverted pentagrams and calling of demons?well Master Ling,the teacher of Stuart Alve Olson,said it best I believe.."If you want to be an Immortal,Stop doing all the mortal things you do!"
By Lucifer's eyes,I don't think I could have summed up the LHP better then Master Ling,do you?
Till next time.......Copyright 2015 Vincent Piazza
Fascinating! Ty
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